You could be forgiven for not seeing Governor Ron DeSantis reject Girl Matters, an innovative community-based intervention program from the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center that has been successful in keeping vulnerable girls out of Florida juvenile prisons and jails.
The $500,000 figure pales in comparison to the nearly $1 billion in line-item vetoes Governor DeSantis issued last week — or, more accurately, when compared to Florida’s $116.5 billion 2024-25 budget, a magnifying glass may be needed to see the penny line items.
However, the Governor’s strikedown will have a profound impact not only on vulnerable girls in Duval County, but also on one of our iconic and nationally recognized nonprofit organizations.
Why girls matter
We know that the well-being of society depends critically on the health, education and happiness of its women. If communities want children — boys and girls — to be healthy, wealthy and smart, let’s invest in the healthy development of tomorrow’s moms — in other words, the girls and young women of today.
Like it or not, that’s the way the world is.
Why Girls Matter
Since being conceived and implemented by the Dolores Barr Weaver Center for Girls and Young Women Policy in 2014, Girl Matters has prevented nearly 1,900 girls from entering Florida jails, reduced the number of girls incarcerated in Duval County, which incarcerated more girls than any of Florida’s 67 counties, by 72%, and saved the state budget $10.3 million in the cost of incarcerating girls.
Girl Matters, a nationally recognized comprehensive continuing care mental health program, serves minor girls ages 6 to 17 through crisis intervention, comprehensive personal care management, specialized counseling for girls and their families, and on-site school services. Additionally, program staff help local judges develop alternatives to incarceration for girls who are tried for behaviors that most adults would not consider criminal, such as running away from home, not attending school, or dealing with living in families and neighborhoods marred by poverty and lack of resources.
Girl Issues It would save Florida taxpayers $1 million a year, so it’s no wonder this program has broad bipartisan legislative support.
A head-scratching veto
That makes the governor’s veto all the more puzzling: Why deny the girl even a penny of support?
It’s puzzling.
The best-case scenario would be for the Governor to simply, as he said, “rein in” state spending and ensure that the 2024-25 budget is smaller than last year’s budget, which would require denying funding equitably across the state, regardless of projects’ merits or whether they had legislative support.
but, Tampa Bay Times The story suggests Our Governor rejected this modest but overwhelmingly supported request because the nonprofit making the request is named after a woman who helped fund the passage of a Florida Constitutional amendment that the Governor opposes.
Unintended consequences
Whatever the Governor’s theory, it is vulnerable minority girls who are suffering, and the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, which serves their long-term interests.
In both cases, these young people and their supporters have no political voice. The girls do not enjoy the right to vote, and because the centers are nonprofit charities, they are prohibited from funding political candidates, campaigns, or issues. Laws and regulations keep charities silent when it comes to Florida politics.
So why would we deny a penny of support to a proven program — one that will save girls’ lives and futures, and the state of Florida’s money?
Moreover, state support, which is crucial for a program that is meant to be the centerpiece of Florida’s juvenile justice efforts and saves the state money, covers 56 percent of Girl Matters’ annual costs; the rest is covered by grants from others and private donors.
This is not just a good deal, it’s a win-win, a successful “public-private partnership” that Florida is proud of.
But the $500,000 veto pales in comparison to the $6 million the governor rejected to help school districts provide menstrual products in school bathrooms and nurses’ offices free of charge to students. Half the nation knows what it means to be surprised, let alone school-age newbies. Tampa Bay Timesreceived unanimous support from the parliament.
Whether intentional or not, the governor’s veto will punish the girls.
Ask the Governor
Send a letter to the governor, ask him what grudge he has against women, it won’t change anything, but it might make you feel better.
This column is Jacks lookout.
